Marjorie Yue had flown on one of the first direct British Airways flights to this capital of China’s Sichuan province in the south-west of the country

It was undoubtedly the highlight of an amazing day – sitting next to a baby giant panda as he munched contentedly on a bamboo shoot drizzled with honey.

I was mesmerised.

It was hard to believe that when Ao Li Ao was born 14 months earlier, he weighed just 162 grams.

He had grown into a very big boy – I could barely get my arm round him.

My tête-à-tête with Ao Li Ao was at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre, just outside the city of Chengdu.

We had flown on one of the first direct British Airways flights to this capital of China’s Sichuan province in the south-west of the country.

The plane was painted with black and white markings, ensuring there was no mistaking our destination!

Sichuan is the panda capital so the chance to get up close and personal with one of these iconic animals was not to be missed.

You have to pay £200 for the privilege (in addition to the £6 entrance fee), though this didn’t deter many, judging from the queues.

Perhaps it was knowing that the money is put to good use in saving these endangered animals.

Ancient: Teahouses of Chengdu

It had meant an early start to the day, leaving at around 7am for the 40-minute drive to the Research Centre, as the pandas are usually at their liveliest then when they’re tucking into their bamboo breakfast.

When the temperature and humidity rise they tend to drift off for naps – wild pandas are used to the cold, wet weather of their mountain habitat.

Which explains why Tian Tian, Edinburgh Zoo’s pregnant giant panda who came from another reserve near Chengdu, appears to be very much at home in Scotland.

The Chinese perception of Chengdu’s citizens is that they’re rather laid back – they spend their days in the city’s many teahouses, putting the world to rights, gossiping, playing cards and maybe conducting a bit of business.

China’s teahouse culture originated in Sichuan – it’s mentioned in poems as far back as the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD).

And when we took a walk through ancient Jinli Street, there appeared to be a teahouse on almost every corner, intermingled with handicraft and silk shops.

But the world-renowned fiery Sichuan cuisine – the chief ingredients seem to be tongue-numbing chillies and Chinese peppercorns – is definitely far from laid back – as we discovered that evening!

The next day, ascending Qing Cheng Mountain, a two-hour drive from Chengdu, I found the lush greenery and the swirling mist swathing the mountain to be both cooling and spiritual.

Sky high: The Shangri-La Hotel in Chengdu

Reputedly it is one of the sites where Taoism began and visitors stopped at ancient temples and caves along the way up, to pay their respects at this Unesco World Heritage site.

Along with the pandas, there is another giant in Sichuan.

At Leshan, a two-hour trip from the city, you will find the biggest stone buddha in the world.

Standing 230ft tall, the Grand Buddha was sculpted out of the side of Lingyuan Mountain – taking some 90 years from 713AD.

The figure stands at the confluence of three rivers, with his head at the top of a cliff.

We ended our visit on a high note at a traditional Sichuan opera.

As we sipped tea, we watched singing, dancing, acrobatics and an incredible ‘changing faces’ act – with actors switching brightly coloured masks in swift succession – with just a wave of the hand. Magical!

Travel file

Best time to go:
Spring (March to June) and autumn (September to November) when the weather is mild. Summer is hot and humid. Avoid national holidays.

Getting there:
BA flies five times a week from Heathrow on its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.